Golden Age

Sophie asked me, “What does blood do?” then listened raptly as I attempted to explain the circulatory system. She practiced feeling her pulse, then she asked how it related to muscles and bones, then started showing me the different parts that are muscles and bones. Then she asked if we could look at pictures of blood and muscles on the computer. I am that mom who thinks my daughter is brilliant, even when I know she’s just imitating the habits she has watched on Sid the Science Kid.

Later, she told me: “Mommy, I just want to spend all day long talking to you.”

The flip-side of this beautiful affection is that she doesn’t want me to leave her each day at daycare. She attempts to prolong each morning drop-off as long as she can. I have started covering her with kisses, assuring her that my love will envelop her all day long, even when I’m not there.

This morning, she decided she needed to cover me with kisses. She carefully kissed me, then blew each kiss all around my face. The loveliness of this feeling (even mixed with working-mom-guilt, even then) the loveliness of this feeling is indescribable.